Oxygen
by Fku
Summary: Adeline is your typical self-conscious, stubborn teenager... Or as typical as you can get when having to lug an oxygen tank with you wherever you go...


Here's to you, Brookeworm3.

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The rain came in with a steady fall, dropping the already low temperatures even lower. The scenery blurred from the freezing droplets hitting the windshield as the minivan slowed to a crawl to accommodate the lack of vision.

"Wow. Sure is sunny here, isn't it?" The young woman in the driver seat spoke. She adjusted herself and leaned forward, clutching the steering wheel to prevent hydroplaning into the trees and mumbling, "I can't see a damn thing."

The young woman glanced to her right quickly, not chancing her eyes off the road for any long periods of time, "I know this isn't exactly the kind of place you'd like to be, but it'll all workout. The reservation is a great historical piece of land. It'll have character and I'm sure they have some books on our history. Well... On our Grandma's side."

When no reply came to her ears, she sighed. Life wasn't easy for their small family of three; between being the big sister, a mother and father of two and a doctor, she had no time for luxury. The house that they found on the reservation was perfect, not too small with several acres of beautiful forest that wasn't far off from the beach. In her eyes, this house is her beacon in the darkness.

Coming to a red light, the small woman turned her head to face her younger sister, "We are so incredibly lucky that we have a place to stay here on the…" her voice trailed off when she noticed that her companion was fast asleep. Smiling to herself, she looked in the back seat where a messy child, covered in Cheeto crackers, was slumbering away on the car seat.

After several minutes of driving through torrential downpour, the family turned down an old, un-paved road where a rusted mail-box stood off to the right with blaring white numbers, 701. The twigs and rocky mud crunched and squelched underneath the old family minivan as they drove over the two mile dirt road that lead specifically to their property.

The drive was beautiful, trees flanked either side of the dirt road and if there was any sunshine, it would trickle down through the thick foliage of the forest. When the road cut off to grass, she knew this was it. The home was an old cottage with vines crawling up the sides of the walls and trees surrounding the area.

Parking the van in front of the home, the young woman took it all in. They had come from a family who had nothing to become a family with their own _land_. She could hardly believe it. All her hard work was paying off, _finally_. Her younger sister really was the one to thank because if she never had those sponsors, she would have never made it through medical school or this move.

Thinking about her younger sister, she turned her head and glanced at her. She was cuddled near the door of the car passenger seat, her hands resting under her head. Her hair was a mess, as always; Blond rats nest, braided and frizzy. She was wearing her cotton leggings and random t-shirt (that absolutely did _not_ match) and her slippers.

Deciding that they have had enough time to sleep, the young woman shook her sister's shoulder, "Addy, we're here, time to get up."

Addy mumbled and cuddled closer to the door, "Just a minute, Anna…"

Anna huffed and opened the backseat door to get the little boy, "Hey Cody, did you have a nice nap?"

Cody gave gurgling baby noises and laughed, "I know! It was such a long ride, huh? You like the new house?" she responded, cooing and pinching Cody's cheeks.

Addy opened her eyes and glared at Cody and her sister, "I didn't want to come here. We had to leave everything behind." she finished, petulantly.

Anna glance at Addy, "You seem to be feeling better, Ade. Get up. Help with the bags, I'll get Cody situated in his play-pin."

As Anna walked away, Addy sighed and stretched her arms out in front of her. Their family used to live in Sunny Fort Lauderdale, until her sister graduated from medical school and landed an internship at Forks General Hospital. Addy knew it was all done for her own sake, but she still couldn't help feeling like she got the shitty end of the stick.

The house was cute. For an old retired couple. The door creaked open as Addy carried her sister's and Cody's bags inside while kicking her wheeling bag, trying to make it in one trip. She sagged near the door once everything was inside and took off her nasal prongs and inhaled strongly. She hiccupped and began to gag and cough. And cough. And cough.

Anna peaked her head out from the kitchen to her younger sister who was leaning on the front door. Seeing Addy's thumbs up, she went back to making lunch.

Addy backed out the door and coughed up the usual, gross mucus and spit it out in the grass. She groaned, "At least the air is moist…"

Walking back inside, Addy took in the house. The living room was a straight left with a fireplace and cute, homey furniture (it was stocked, thanks to the state) with a dining room attached. The door to a room (probably hers) was located to her right. She pushed the door open and looked at the simple bed room. It was a light mint color with a deep plum rug. Her bed was a decent size (queen) and a vanity and desk were on the left and right walls. Considering that this was a corner room, she had two walls completely covered in windows.

She turned around and fell on the bed with her arms spread wide. Her sister was so excited to live here. She understood why, it was a great opportunity for Anna and, while Addy hated admitting it, it was a good thing for herself too.

"Addy, it's time for your treatment! Vest will be here on Tuesday, so we will just use my hands for now." Anna called from within the house.

Addy's phone beeped and she looked at the lock screen. Her sister was always looking at the time, she never once forgot.

Sighing again, Addy walked out of her room and saw Anna waiting for her in the living room with a blanket laid down on the rug. Oddy laid down and waited for the coughing cycle that was about to begin, a cup placed in her hand for the mucus.

"I don't know why I even bother setting an alarm. You never forget."

A gentle tap on the side of her ribs and she was in a coughing frenzy again; being in a car for hours and hours with no treatment, it was no surprise her lungs were so full.

"Yes, well I wouldn't be a very good doctor if I did." Ana supplied, tapping on Addy's ribs with even pressure.

Addy spit in the cup, glancing at her oxygen equipment, "True… Hey, Anna?"

Anna hummed in response and moved her cupped hands to start tapping on Addy's back, right behind her lungs, "What?"

Addy squirmed as more mucus made it to her mouth. She spit in the cup again before speaking, "When I go to school, do I _have_ to bring my oxygen tank?"

Sensing her sister's mood, Anna slowed her hands, "Addy… I know this is a new development. It's just…" Anna sighed, "It's just that your lung capacity is getting weaker, Addy. You can't just leave it behind."

Addy pouted, "School is going to suck… Everyone is going to stare…"

Anna laughed and gestured at Addy to switch sides and face her, "Everyone would stare at you anyways. They are going to think you are color blind. You should start coordinating your outfits." She chided.

"Ha, ha. Laugh it up."

When an hour passed, Anna stopped tapping on Addy and stretched, "I made sandwiches; they are in the fridge. _Eat_." She stood up and walked upstairs to check on Cody.

Addy had gotten the oxygen tank, literally, on the last day of school. She was lucky that it wasn't _during_ school; How embarrassing! She was only 15, not 68 and in danger of cardiac arrest. Sighing, Addy trudged over to her tank and put her nasal prongs back in and wheeled to the kitchen for her lunch.

.

A full week had passed since Addy and her family moved to La Push

Since there was a few weeks left of summer vacation, Addy decided to live it up in her new room by watching movies. All. Day. Long.

It wasn't like she could go anywhere anyway… she had to lug around a giant case of oxygen and she really couldn't do it herself… _Sigh_.

Addy got up and wheeled the tank over to the kitchen for some brownies; a nice woman named Sue brought them over as a welcome gift. She offered to help around when Anna goes to work.

Sue mentioned having a son the same age as Addy and told her that she will bring him next time. While Addy smiled politely, she was secretly hoping she wouldn't. It's already embarrassing enough with the stupid oxygen tank. She doesn't need to meet some _boy_ and make it worse…

Before she could make it back to her room, there was a knock at the door.

Eyebrows furrowing, Addy peaked through the window and saw a couple of men talking quietly to each other and one began to snicker.

Keeping the chain locked on the door, Addy removed her nasal plug from her nose and covers the tubes with her hair and poked her head out, "Uhm… hello?"

The men turn to her and they smile. They were all so _huge_ and _tall_ and… shirtless. The one with lighter brown hair and kind eyes spoke, "Hey, Adeline, right? My name's Seth Clearwater, Sue's son?"

Addy's eyes flashed with recognition and then dread, "Oh… Uhm, hi! Uh... Nice to meet you?"

The taller boy at the back of the group laughs, "Your sister told Sue that you might need some help babysitting."

Seth smiles again, "It's OK, we really are here because Anna requested that we help unpack and help you with Cody…"

Addy bit her lip and closed her eyes, letting out a shuddered breath, "I… well, it really isn't a good time… maybe later?" _how about never? Or at least when I'm not home so you can't see me…_

Brady frowned and stepped up to the door, "Listen, we are here to help. If you don't want it, that's fine. Just don't expect us to lend a hand again."

" _C'mon Brady_! Stop being such a dick!" Seth turns to Addy and looks into her eyes, "Look, we're sorry if we came at a bad time. We don't want to intimidate you or anything, but your sister really did ask us to check up on you… If you want us to leave, we'll go. Sorry again!"

Seth and Brady turn to leave and walk off the porch, leaving Addy feeling like such a bitch. She closes her eyes and slams the door, unlocks the chain and opens the door again, "Alright, I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like, like such a bitch. I just… Please, come in?"

.

Seth and Brady were sitting on their worn-out couch in the Clearwater's living room, "Yes! Go left, Brady. Go _left_!"

Brady shoved Seth, "Dude, I can't go left if there are too many damn- _fuck!_ "

Seth groaned, "I _told_ you, go _left!_ Now I have to rez your shitty ass!"

The phone began to ring and Brady answered, "Clearwater residence… Oh, hey Sue! Uh… Sure, sure thing… No, we… Seth is currently running for his life right now and I'm dead… yeah… OK, bye"

Brady hung up the phone and looked at Seth, "So… Why didn't you tell me we got new neighbors?"

Seth groaned at the flashing GAME OVER and turned to Brady, "Just found out myself… What did mom want?"

"Well we apparently have a babysitting job to do."

Rolling his eyes, Seth got up from the couch and stretched, "Alright… their house isn't far… we don't have to wolf it."

The boys shuffled their way to the door, "I was never introduced but apparently there is a girl our age and a toddler."

"Ooh great, I love kids… we should bring Quil and his little girlfriend." Brady snickered, "I can't even get over that."

Seth smirked and walked with Brady into the forest. The smirk slowly left his face, though, when he thought about imprinting, "Do you think one of us will imprint?"

Brady looked at Seth from the corner of his eye and faced forward, watching for any low-hanging branches, "I mean… It is possible. Why?"

Seth shrugged his shoulders and walked faster, "Their house is up ahead, they live at 701."

As Seth walked faster, Brady watched Seth's back. He knows that Seth has been hoping for an imprint since he has heard about the stories, but the imprint is supposed to be rare… Brady didn't really care, if it happens, it will happen… Seth though…

As the boys walked up to the door, Seth heard two heartbeats in the house. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door, "Can you smell my mom's brownies?"

Brady laughed, "Dude. That was the first thing I _noticed_."

They quieted down and listen to one heartbeat begin to speed up, "Oh… looks like someone is nervous." Brady snickered.

They heard a chain unlock from the door and a little head peak out, "Uhm… hello?"

Seth and Brady looked at the girl, she was tiny… or from what they could tell. She had bright blond hair and green, green eyes. Feeling dejected that he didn't imprint, Seth frowned and shook his head. He looked down at the girl and saw how nervous she was and gave a small smile, "Hey, Adeline, right? My name's Seth Clearwater, Sue's son?"

The blond girl squeaked, "Oh… Uhm, hi! Uh... Nice to meet you?"

Brady, knowing that Seth was bummed, walked closer to the door, "Your sister told Sue that you might need some help babysitting."

Seth smiled again, "It's OK, we really are here because Anna requested that we help unpack and help you with Cody…"

They watched as the girl bit her lip and closed her eyes. She looked… pained. And somewhat annoyed. Brady narrowed his eyes. _So friendly._

Blondie opened her eyes, "I… well, it really isn't a good time… maybe later?"

Brady's eyebrow twitched, "Listen, we are here to help. If you don't want it, that's fine. Just don't expect us to lend a hand again."

Seth's head snapped to Brady, " _C'mon Brady_! Stop being such a dick!" Seth turns to the girl and looks into her eyes again. Maybe he missed it… After staring for a moment he sighed, "Look, we're sorry if we came at a bad time. We don't want to intimidate you or anything, but your sister really did ask us to check up on you… If you want us to leave, we'll go. Sorry again!"

Seth and Brady turn to leave and walk off the porch and heard the door slam, "Your mom failed to mention that not only is she our age, but she clearly does not like anyone."

Seth turned around when he heard the door open and a small voice call out, "Alright, I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like, like such a bitch. I just… Please, come in?"

Both boys turn to look at each other and Seth shrugs, "No problem… We are kind of use to it, being big and scary looking."

They walk back up the steps and see that the girl is already down the hall, wheeling a suitcase. Brady turns to Seth, "Alright, she's officially weird."

Seth punches Brady in the arm and walks into the house, shutting the door, "Shut the fuck up, man."

As they round the corner, the first thing they notice was his mom's brownies. The second was the fact that the girl was eating brownies with _milk_. The third was the tubs running out of her nose and down to the suitcase she was wheeling.

After staring at the suitcase, Seth could tell that this is what she felt so uncomfortable about and cleared his throat, "So… uhm what time does Cody wake up, Adeline?"

The blond girl looked at Seth with guarded eyes, "Addy. And he will wake up in an hour or so… Anna, my sister, just put him down for a nap..." She trailed off.

Brady bit his lip, not able to contain the question, "What's with the tubes?"

.

So I'm not going to go further with the OdettexJacob, but I do want to introduce a new character.

Odd is a perfect character for Jacob because she is independent and strong. Because she is blind, Jacob is forced to open his own eyes and see his situation in a different light. She gave him the freedom he needed to move on and search for his own happiness.

Adeline, I think, will be a perfect character for Paul. He is confident, outgoing, passionate, stubborn as a mule, and rough. Having someone like Adeline in his life will definitely help him tone down his roughness and really bring out his caring and nurturing side.

Also, Addy's personality is shrouded by her illness. Someone will have to break her out of her shell and Paul, to me, is perfect for that being that he is so confident.

I don't know, that's what I'm hoping anyway lol. If you guys think she will be good for another wolf, let me know.


End file.
